Goodbye Mr Grissom
by SSEE729
Summary: "When I leave CSI there won't be any cake in the breakroom. I'll just be gone." Grissom is leaving CSI and the team is heartbroken. What will they do for the man who means so much to all of them? I don't own CSI or any of the charatcers in this story.
1. I've Made A Decision

"_When I leave CSI there won't be any cake in the break room. I'll just be gone."_

Gil Grissom walked reluctantly toward the break room where he knew his team was sitting, waiting for their evening assignments. That was the routine for every night on the job. His team would sit in the break room before the beginning of shift and wait for him to hand out that night's assignments. That was the way if was for nine years. Tonight was different.

He knew he had to tell them. He had already waited too long as it was, hell he was leaving in only a few days, and his team deserved to know. Grissom knew they deserved a lot more from him, but he also knew that he couldn't give it to them. He knew they deserved for him to stay, to not abandon them in what had to be one of the hardest years of their lives. But he wasn't than man. He wasn't that strong, and after all the years on the job with him, his team could come to expect such an action of him. They knew his behavior, sometimes he believed they knew him more than he himself did. He was completely predictable to those who knew him well, yet somehow he still had know idea who he was himself. _Was that even possible?_

"Hey Griss" Nick acknowledged his boss with a nod as he entered the room. Nick took a sip of his coffee and placed the cup down on the table in front of him before turning to face Grissom once again. "What's up for tonight?"

Grissom cleared his throat before speaking, yet his voice remained raspy with the anxiety of what he was about to reveal to his team. The guilt. "Nick and Greg you guys are working a possible arson in Henderson," Grissom said as cool and calm as ever, any traces of anxiety cleared from his voice. " . . . and Catherine, you have a 419 on the strip" Grissom handed Catherine the half sheet of paper containing the details of her case, and stopped directly beside her. Frozen by the anticipation of his next move.

"Alright" Catherine glanced toward her boss, eyes laced with skeptisim. Grissom could tell she knew something was going on with him. Hell, she always could. "Is that it?" She continued; eyes still asking Grissom what was going on. He picked up on her concerned glances.

"No" Grissom shook his head and pursed his lips. His mid was becoming overwhelmed by a million different thoughts, and somehow he couldn't manage to find the perfect way to say what he was going to say next. He was nervous and fretful. He didn't want to hurt his guys, but he knew if he didn't blurt something out now, he probably never would. No. It was the least he could do for them. Atleast tell them he was leaving.

He settled for, " I know this has been a tough year for all of us. And I've been thinking . . . I mean more than usual. I made a decision. I'm gunna leave CSI."

A blast of emotion ran through each of his guys' eyes, and as much as he tried to not let it affect him, he knew the moment he stepped into the room it would. Hell, he knew the moment he met these three people it would. He had gotten so close to all of them over the years, and he knew it was going to hurt when they parted their separate ways, but nothing like this. Well, then again, he hadn't expected to leave so soon either. I guess life just got in the way. H etold himself.

Nobody said anything. They didn't have to. Their eyes said it all. Their body language. Grissom felt this, knew this, saw this. And for a second he reconsidered his decision. But this was the right thing to do. This was his time, and he had to do what would be best for everyone even if it hurt. Even if it wasn't easy. He had to do this. He had to go.

"Don't worry" Grissom began after a second or two. "Catherine will become your new supervisior . . . so you'll be in good hands." Catherine couldn't help but smirk at this.

"Ecklie is going to hire a new level one, so you won't be short handed." Grissom nodded.

_This is ridiculous,_ Greg thought to himself. '_Wont be short handed.' Wont be short handed?_ _Any team without Grissom will be short handed. It's inevitable._

"Alright?" Grissom more stated than asked, and before anyone could say anything, Grissom had turned around and left. Walking down the hallway all by himself. He walked into his office and closed the door softly.

The three remaining members of the team that was quickly eroding looked at each other with a glance that said it all. A glance, an understanding between friends that could only be derived from years of intense friendship and of all the experiences they had gone through together. Now this.

"Is he serious?" Nick asked to no one in particular as he rubbed his hand over the stubble on the lower part of his face.

A single tear slid down Catherine's cheek. She knew.


	2. No Team At All

Nick and Greg were driving toward Henderson for their possible arson. The night was dark, gloomy, and eerie. The clouds seemed to lurk directly over them, and after a short time on the road, it had begun to rain.

"You think he's serious?" Greg asked the question they were both eager to blurt. He glanced at Nick with a truly concerned expression. His lips a tight, thin, line.

Nick half shrugged half cocked his head, all in the same gesture. He met eyes with his friend, and it was through his eyes that Greg got the answer he already knew deep down inside.

Neither had to say anything, Nick's answer was conveyed through his deep, soulful, eyes, and Greg simply nodded at his friend after a second or two.

"Yea," Greg began, "I know."

Nick brought his eyes back toward the road and continued driving. The rain picked up slightly, and Nick adjusted his windshield wipers to a higher setting.

"Why?" Greg huffed out. The desperation, the hurt, evident in his innocent tone. He sounded like a naïve child, inexperienced with the devastation, the disappointment that inevitably surrounded everybody. Exposed for the first time to the dealings the unjust world brought to those who did not deserve them.

Nick's heart stung with Greg's tone. Greg was his best friend and it hurt him to hear the ache in his voice. Truth be told, Nick didn't know the answer himself, and he wanted more than anything to at least know why his mentor had decided to pick everything up and leave.

"I don't know, Greggo" Nick said softly in a tone that attempted to ease Greg's pain. He shook his head from side to side once and then continued. "It's just his time I guess. Despite what we may believe, Grissom is not invincible. This job eats away at you, and after a while . . ." Nick's voice trailed off and he made a left turn down a side street before he continued.

" . . . and after everything that's happened recently, the miniature killer, Sara leaving," Nick paused for a brief second, his chest tightened, and he sighed softly, "Warrick" he managed through an unsteady voice.

Greg nodded understandingly, but the hurt was still etched into his face. "Can't really blame him, can you?"

"No," Nick agreed. "He's been doing this for over twenty years, and he's only leaving now. We're lucky that we had him for this long."

Greg nodded again but remained silent. Nick continued on as he pulled down the street that their possible arson case was on. The car slowed down, and Nick pulled off to the side. He put the car in park and yanked the keys out of the ignition. The thought of Grissom, his mentor, leaving, pained his heart with sorrow. He didn't know what to do, or what to expect. All he knew for certain was the Grissom's absence, inevitable or not, would create a whole in his big heart.

"It's gonna be different without him." Greg started as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "I mean it's Grissom!" Greg's smile was laced with disbelief. "A team without Grissom . . ." Greg's smiled was gone, " . . . it's like no team at all."


	3. He's Grissom

After her shift was over, Catherine walked into the break room to see if the guys were hanging out there after their shift. She wanted to say a quick good night before she left for home, eager to see Lindsey. She was still completely dumfounded by Grissom's announcement earlier in the evening, her heart tinged with grief. At the moment she couldn't exactly think straight, and she hadn't been able to all night. _Grissom is leaving._ She kept telling herself. Trying to convince herself. She knew it was going to happen, but that didn't mean she had to accept it. Not yet anyway.

"Hey guys" Catherine said as she made her way over to the table where the guys were sitting drinking coffee. "I'm heading out for the night . . . see you tomorrow."

"Alright Catherine, good night" Nick replied as he placed his cup of coffee down on the table in front of him. He could see it in her eyes; the effect Grissom's announcement had on her. He wasn't going to say anything, but instead gave her a sympathetic, understanding nod, to which she was grateful. She knew Nick understood her.

"Night" Greg said with a quick wave before he got up and poured some more coffee into his styrofoam cup. Catherine could smell the delicious scent; Blue Hawaiian, not the regular break room sludge. This was a time that called for the uplifting treat, and Greg smiled, motioning toward her with the pot. "Want some for the road?"

Catherine smiled at Greg's childlike manner. His way of being sympathetic, understanding, in a tough time was to offer her some of his special coffee, and she couldn't have been more grateful. "No thanks, Greg"

He smirked back at her before sitting once again at the table. Nick and Greg had decided to play some card game Catherine deduced from the cards that were spread across the table, and from the looks of it Catherine determined it to be five card stud, but she wasn't exactly sure.

"Say hi to Lindsey for me" Nick called to her as he dealt some cards to both Greg and himself. He looked up just in time to see Catherine give him a curt nod.

"Yea, thanks, I will" Catherine started toward the door, " . . . night"

"Night" both men replied at the same time, and with one more quick nod Catherine disappeared.

In her car, driving home from work was the only time Catherine could really think to herself. The only time she could analyze what was going on in her life; whether it be friends, upcoming events, the job, Lindsey. Oftentimes her ride home was silent. There was no music. There was no noise. Most times she just though to herself, the only sound she heard was her own voice talking in her head.

_Grissom is leaving. GRISSOM is leaving. Grissom is LEAVING._ She had to say the phrase multiple times before she could begin to comprehend it. She tried emphasizing different parts of the phrase to make it less surreal to her, to make it sink in. _Grissom is leaving. _It didn't work.

_How can he be leaving? Why is he leaving? What's going on?_ She asked herself. _Why now? Is it Sara? Is he leaving to be with Sara? To find her, run off with her, and get married somewhere?_

At first she was confused, but her confusion quickly transitioned into anger. Pure anger at his willingness to just up and leave. His readiness to simple leave behind his entire life; his work, his team, his family.

_After everything we've been through this year as a team, he's going to desert us now? Typical Grissom_. The thoughts ran through her head at rapid speed. She barely had enough time to consider one thought before another raced in.

_First Sara leaves_. The concept played over in her head. _Then Warrick . . ._ She still couldn't even say it in her own mind, forget out loud. _And now Grissom decides it's his turn? What the hell's next? Nick figuring maybe he wants out too. What about Greg? Maybe he'll find a new job somewhere. And Brass? Maybe he'll leave too. Just for the hell of it._

_I can't believe he's doing this to us after everything we've been through together. Life and death experiences with our own guys, saving each other's lives, getting each other through tough times . . . and Grissom bails. _

_And what's he going to do anyway? We're his only family! _Catherine was reasoning with herself inside her own head._ What's he gonna go off and start an ant farm somewhere? Spend all his time at cockroach conventions racing bugs? This man . . . this man is going to drive me insane . . . He's . . . He's . . . _Catherine couldn't seem to find the right word.

Catherine couldn't help but smile. The man who was going to drive her absolutely insane with his outrageous behavior was also the best friend she loved to death. _" . . . He's Grissom"_ Catherine said to herself.

Nothing could describe Grissom. No words, no phrases, no person. He was the most unique, most peculiar, most incredible person she had ever met. _The guy keeps jarred fetuses on shelves in his office for God's sake. Bugs in cases, splayed across the walls. Dried crickets in his refrigerator._ She was going to miss him more than she could comprehend, and when a tear slid down her cheek, she made no effort to wipe it away.

Grissom deserved this. He deserved to leave when he wanted to, and he deserved support from the team he had done so much for over the years. _If it's his time to go . . . then we have to let him go. Who knows? Maybe it'll be good for him. He needs a change; he needs not to see death everyday or the cruel effects the world can have on the most undeserving people. He deserves to find a place where he doesn't have to witness young people, innocent people, and undeserving people getting their lives cut short by those malicious punks who think they can do whatever they want. Those people that think the rules don't apply to them. Those people who believe they have the right to hurt someone else merely because they want to, or they're angry, or some other God for saken reason._

_Too bad a place like that doesn't exist on earth._ Catherine sighed to herself._ But hey . . . Grissom is full of surprises and mind blowing wonder. Maybe he'll find his heaven on earth. He deserves as much, he deserves more._ Catherine smiled to herself again.

_Good luck Mr. Grissom._

**I'm still not finished, and I have more chapters left to add. Please Review and tell me what you think so far! **


	4. One Last Time

"We've gotta do something for him" Nick said over his cell phone to Catherine. He had called her to inform her that he believed they, as in Catherine, Greg, and himself, had to do something for Grissom before he left.

"I know he's not expecting anything, and I know that he doesn't want anything done, but . . ." Nick explained as he took a right into the CSI headquarters parking lot. " . . . we have to do something for him. We have to."

"I completely agree." Catherine said as she herself was driving toward work. "And you're right" She continued on, " . . . this is probably the last thing he wants, but . . . too bad. We're doing it anyway. It needs to be done."

"Exactly." Nick uttered as he exited his car and walked toward the building. "I mean . . . it doesn't have to be anything special . . . just something to let him know we care."

"He already knows, Nicky" Catherine smiled as she turned left onto a side street. She flicked her sticky blinker off and returned her attention to their conversation. " . . . he always did."

This remark went straight to Nick's heart, touching him deeply. He smiled as he opened the CSI headquarters door and walked inside. He gave a nod of acknowledgement to Judy, the receptionist, and a quick wave as he walked by. She smiled back with a small wave herself.

"I know . . ." Nick started as he walked into the locker room. " . . . but"

"Yea, I know." Catherine declared. She knew exactly how he felt because she felt the exact same way. They all knew Grissom understood how grateful they all were to him. It wasn't that they _needed_ to do something for their boss . . . their friend; it was that they _wanted _to.

"I'll be in in two minutes" Catherine informed him as she pulled into the CSI Headquarters parking lot and parked directly beside Nick's car. " . . . we can talk then."

"Sounds good" Nick said, and with that he hung up.

Twenty-five minutes later, after Nick and Catherine had informed Greg of their idea, a plan was set.

There was to be a break room party the day before Grissom's last day, and it would be a surprise. If it wasn't, who knew? Knowing Grissom, he probably would fail to show up.

The entire lab was invited. All the lab rats, field mice from all varying shifts, and even Conrad Ecklie. As much as the team could despise Ecklie sometimes, he had been a huge part of Grissom's work life, and had involved himself in many of the teams' events and incidents, good or bad, over the past few years. And besides, sometimes he wasn't _that _bad. Or maybe he was.

There would be cake, despite Grissom's comment several years back, and there would be fun. One last time to enjoy themselves as a team. One last time to spend time together. All of them. Together.

.


End file.
